15 replies to this topic

[AntJohnny]

http://imgur.com/gallery/LwZjVs0

Pictures on imgur.

I believe they maybe be tetramorium, I saw allot of similar looking species online though.

I found this small colony with 2 queens 10 workers and 2 larva while clearing out my fire pit for the summer. The where under a rock in a Sandy dirt mixture. They have a small pile of eggs now too.

The workers are about a half centimeter and the 2 queens or only slightly bigger about 0.2 centimeter bigger.

I can't tell how many notches they have on there antenna's. They have very small gasters with short fine hairs. I think the hairs are a whiteish color. There body color is a dark blood red. And sometimes almost a golden color in the right light. The abdominal section is long and skinny. With one node.

It is kinda hard for me to see right now my eyes won't focus good. And I only have a cellphone camera to use. So the quality of the pictures is best that I can do for now. I think these maybe my favorite species so far. They are awesome looking and I like there color. I am planning on keeping them as long as I can. So I need to know everything I can about them. I want a huge colony of them lol.

[AntJohnny]

Identity? lol I just realised how I spelled the post my bad.

[Zmagz]

Myrmica sp.?

[AntJohnny]

I'm going to my GFs tomorrow. She has a decent camera I'll borrow it or bring the colony with me to take better pics. It's frustrating trying to take pictures with my phone. I have to hold a magnifying glass under my phone just to get the camera to semi focus.

[AntJohnny]

No matter what they are I'm hoping both queens will stay alive. I found them together and one of them maybe both laid eggs already. I'm keeping there feeding low for now, and the heat around 70 Just until I know what they are for sure and know I can take care of them properly. I don't want them laying hundreds of eggs before I get the right setup for them.

[Acutus]

I was going to say Aphaenogaster but not sure if any are as small as you describe. Also not sure if they  can have 2 queens.

[AntJohnny]

When I found them they were all in one chamber under the rock. The workers are taking care of both of them and both the queens stay pretty much on top of each other. If they are tetramorium bicarinatum then they can have multiple queens. So far that seems to be the most identical that I can find online. There are allot of species that share this look tho. I'm hoping they stay docile towards each other if at all I see them fight, or show any signs of aggression I will split them.

[AntJohnny]

I forgot also the gaster when filled will turn to a tear drop shape coming to a sharp point. I believe they have stingers. I fed them a meal worm cut in halve and they where pushing there gaster in it. Not like formica spraying species though

[Acutus]

See to me the spike in the first picture looks longer than Tetramorium. I'm kinda new to this though. Better pics will definitely help.

Edited by Acutus, May 20 2019 - 7:17 PM.

[AntJohnny]

Instead of bringing the entire colony to my girlfriend's house to take better pics. I'm going to only take one worker and chill it out some in a Tupperware ware. I might wait until the 2 larva pupate and send a worker to get a DNA test. I have spent hours going through every ant species in Michigan about. And can't narrow it done to any one species. There are so many that have the same features. Every colony I have right now took less then a day to narrow down. I've had this colony for a week or two.

[AntJohnny]

Thanks for the help for now though. It's pretty late for me here and I have to get up early. I'll post updated pics with the exact length sometime tomorrow.

[YsTheAnt]

I would guess Myrmica for these, fits the bill and the queens look semi claustral.

[ponerinecat]

myrmica

[Acutus]

I would guess Myrmica for these, fits the bill and the queens look semi claustral.

 

 

myrmica

 

Listen to them they are much better at this than I am!

[AntJohnny]

I haven't been able to take better pics yet. I got in an argument with my GFs over some stupid things. But I will get over there eventually to get better pictures. And yeah I was going through myrmica species and they are closer looking then the tetramorium.

[AntJohnny]

Could they be myrmica ruba I don't know if the are in Michigan though.

I put a flower pot outside while it was sunny for the plant in it. I just brought it in earlier and there was another colony with two queens just like the ones I caught idk if I should keep them or put them back where the pot was. Eaither way I just thought in was a kinda cool seeing another one. Since it's been warm and raining I've saw dozens of species just in my front yard.